Acetylene-generating apparatus.



PATENTED APRAs, 1904 J. J. MATTHEWS. ACETYLENE GENERATING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 3, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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m: Nonms pzrgns co, PHOTO-LIY'HQ, WASHINGTON, o. c,

Patented April 5, 1904.

UNTTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JOSEPH MATTHEWVS, OF MALDON, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

ACETYLENE-GEN ERATING APPARATUS- SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 756,671, dated April 5, 1904;,

Application filed November 3, 1903. Serial No. 179,705. (No model.)

T0 at whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN JosErH Ma'r'rnnws, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, &c., residing at Maldon, in the State ofVictoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Acetylene-Generator Apparatus; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an acetylene-generatorapparatus in which all the parts are contained within an outer casingand in which the gas can be purified, cooled, and stored and the carbidconveniently replenished at will.

The gas is made by admitting water automaticall y to the carbid fromtime to time when the gas in the storage-bell is depleted by use, theaccompanying drawings illustrating the construction of the apparatus.

Figure l is a side elevation in vertical middle section, and Fig. 2 aplan view in section on line 8 40f Fig. 1. In Fig. 1 the apparatus isshown charged with water.

The lettering indicates parts as follows, the use of which will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art. I

a is an annular carbid-chamber open at the top, its inner wall a being atube open top and bottom. The carbid in any convenient form (not shown)is put into this chamber when the latter is removed from the rest of theapparatus.

(0 represents handles at the base of a; b, inlet-pipes to allow entranceof water to the carbid-chamber, the inlets shown being adapted to supplythe water high,(to drip onto the carbid;) 0, a bayonet-jointrepresenting any suitable secure connection of chamber a to chamber (Zallowing of easy disconnection; cl, a casing open at the bottom wherechamber a is inserted, the internal inolosed space thus formed over thecarbid forming a gas-generating chamber; (Z handle of chamber (Z; d, anormally closed vent for allowing escape of air when the gas generationis beginning or of gas, if desired. Usually a spring-valve is here used.The drawings show the valve open for clearer illustration.

6 is another connection,which may be a bayonet-joint, as shown, tofirmly secure casing (Z to the bell f in such a way as to allow of easyremoval; an annular gas-storage bell open at the bottom, its inner wallbeing marked f, open top and bottom. The bell floats in water inside thetank, hereinafter referred to, and rises'according to the amount of gasaccumulated within it and falls by its Weight as the gas is drawn off.Means to regulate the weight may be provided, if desired.

9 represents runners, wheels, or the like on the bell f to bear againstor engage the guides next mentioned.

72, represents guides or uprights, made removable for convenience oftransport, suitably held upright, preferably by being screwed at theirbases into fixed nuts at the bottom of the tank. These guides steady thebell f as it rises or falls.

2' represents means, as nuts and eyes, fixed to the tank to adjustguides h securely in upright position; j, a Water-tank, usuallycylindrical, within which the rest of the apparatus is contained; 7.2,an overflow-pipe from tank to regulate the level of the water therein;Z, the water in tank 7', which when the bell f is depressed rises withintube a until above the level of inlets I). When the,bell rises, thegaschamber, comprising parts a to d, rises with it till inlets b areabove the water-level.

m is a U-shaped tube having a broad base, its parallel limbs formingstand-pipes, one of which only is open at the top, which is above thewater-level. This tube is secured at its base to tank j and is locatedunder bell f.

n is the top of the closed limb of the gaspurifying stand-pipe m, havinga plug for convenienoe in cleaning and inserting purifying material.Tube m, being almost wholly immersed in a comparatively large quantityof water, remains cool and accordingly cools the acetylene as it isdrawnofi.

0 is a service-pipe for delivering or drawing off acetylene from the topa of the closed limb of m; p, cock on pipe 0 at a part external to tankj to enable the service of gas to be controlled; q, any suitable knownmaterial placed in tube on (and replenished when necessary) for thepurpose of purifying and drying the acetylene before it leaves theapparatus, the material being put, if desired, in a cage which can beeasily inserted and removed; a", open top (with protecting hood 1" tokeep out water if poured into the tank carelessly) of inner limb of-aU-shaped bell-charging stand-pipe. This pipe is secured at its base totank j. The limb having top 1" stands Within the inner wall a of chambera and extends well above the water-level.

sis the top of the'outer limb of the bellcharging stand-pipe, the gas(cooled by water) emerging from which is delivered into the space tunder bell f; s, a hood over the pipetop 8, floating on or dipping justbelow waterlevel. The hood is used where it is desired to cause the gasto wash itself before reaching space 2?.

'0 is a valve at the pipe-top 8, adapted to allow the gas to pass upwardfrom below, the gas pressure lifting it, while the weight (thoughslight) of the valve on its seat prevents the gas from returning; a, acock or plug for emptying tank j; w, a drainage-tube (only partly shownin Fig. 1) leading to the exterior of the tank from the base of thebellcharging stand-pipe; w, a plug on the tank exterior to allow of thedischarge of any water collecting in tube w.

To recharge the apparatus with carbid, chamber d is drawn out of bell f,carrying with it chamber a, which is then removed, emptied, recharged,and replaced. While drawing out chamber d, the valve (2 should bedepressed to allow air to enter and prevent water being also drawn up toan objectionable extent. The valve d will, if sufficiently weak, openautomatically, because as the combined cham- What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,is

1. In an acetylene-generator apparatus, the combination with awater-tank having an overflow, of two U-shaped tubes, one of said tubesbeing adapted to deliver gas from the generating-chamber into the bell,and the other of said tubes being adapted to be filled with purifyingmaterial and deliver gas from the bell to the gas-service pipe, .afloating gas-bell and, jointed within the same, a gas-generator casingand an annular carbid-chamber having water-inlet pipes inserted withinsaid casing from below, substantially as described.

2. In an acetylene-generator apparatus, the combination with agas-generating device and an annular gas-bell surrounding the same, of awater-tank having a U-shaped tube fastened to the bottom thereof, thelimbs of which tube rise higher than the sides of the tank and areconstructed for delivering cooled gas from the generating device to thegas-bell and having a valve to prevent the return of the gas, andanother U-shaped tube also secured to the bottom of the tank, the limbsof which project higher than the sides of the tank and constructed tocontain purifying material, and a gas-service pipe connected with saidsecondnamed U-shaped pipe, said tank also having a drainage-pipe,substantially as described.

3. In an acetylene-generating apparatus, the combination of a tank, agas-bell floating in said tank, a removable generator-casing constructedto fit into the center of said bell, a valve in the top of saidgenerator-casing, a spring normally holding said valve closed, aU-shaped pipe for delivering gas from said generating-chamber into saidbell, said pipe extending above the top of the tank and being providedwith a valve to prevent the return of the gas, a second U-shaped pipefastened to the bottom of the tank and constructed to be filled withpurifying material, and a servicepipe connected to said second-namedU-shaped pipe, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN JOSEPH MATTHEWS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE Toms, B. M. LOWE.

